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2026 1

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7523/j.ucas.2026.001

Assessment of arsenic and lead bioaccessibility in co-contaminated soil using a coupled PBET-SHIME model

  • YAN Shibo ,
  • XU Zelin ,
  • TIAN Wen ,
  • CHANG Xuhui ,
  • YANG Maolin ,
  • CAI Xiaolin ,
  • YIN Naiyi ,
  • CUI Yanshan
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  • 1 College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China;
    2 Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China

Received date: 2025-09-01

  Revised date: 2026-01-08

  Online published: 2026-01-08

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Abstract

Hand-to-mouth ingestion is a significant pathway for human exposure to soil heavy metals. The bioaccessibility of heavy metals is a critical parameter for human health risk assessment. Research on the bioaccessibility of arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) and their potential interactions in co-contaminated soils is limited. This study utilized three farmland soils with different pH levels (Jiangxi Yingtan, JX; Zhejiang Jiaxing, ZJ; Inner Mongolia Chifeng, NM). As and Pb were artificially spiked into the soils, which were then aged for one month to create co-contaminated samples with varying concentrations of As (50, 100, and 200 mg·kg-1) and Pb (200, 400, and 800 mg·kg-1). The PBET and SHIME model were employed to investigate the changes and interactions in the bioaccessibility of As and Pb during the gastric, small intestinal, and colon phases. The results indicated that the bioaccessibility of As from the gastric to the small intestinal phase increased in JX soil, showed no significant change in ZJ soil, and decreased in NM soil. From the small intestinal to the colon phase, As bioaccessibility exhibited an overall increasing trend. In contrast, the bioaccessibility of Pb decreased significantly (p < 0.05) throughout the progression from the gastric to the small intestinal and then to the colon phase. No significant interaction between As and Pb was observed during the gastric and small intestinal phases. However, in the colon phase, the bioaccessibility of As gradually decreased with the addition and increasing concentration of Pb. At the highest Pb addition level (800 mg·kg-1), the bioaccessibility of As in the three soils was reduced by 16.8% to 24.8% (p < 0.001), accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of As(Ⅲ). These findings clarify the variations in bioaccessibility and the interaction between As and Pb in co-contaminated soils, providing important scientific insights for the accurate assessment of human health risks associated with As and Pb co-contamination.

Key words： arsenic; lead; co-contaminated soils; bioaccessibility; SHIME model

Cite this article

YAN Shibo , XU Zelin , TIAN Wen , CHANG Xuhui , YANG Maolin , CAI Xiaolin , YIN Naiyi , CUI Yanshan . Assessment of arsenic and lead bioaccessibility in co-contaminated soil using a coupled PBET-SHIME model[J]. Journal of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2026 : 1 . DOI: 10.7523/j.ucas.2026.001

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